Can We Consider The New Ipad A Computer?

[orea]

I'm just interested in what people think

Edited January 31, 2010 by orea

[R31Nismoid]

It has a CPU, it has RAM... Tis a computer alright!

It's just the O/S that is different to the "norm" of what you'd expect on a laptop/tablet

[FrangaR33]

I say no, technically its a computer but you can only do one thing at a time. Even Steve Jobs says its somewhere between a smartphone and netbook so not really a computer. Its just a giant Ipod touch and watch it will sell like hotcakes.

[R31Nismoid]

It processed information/actions/requests etc.

Just because it does one task at a time or whatever doesn't mean a lot.

Look back to 15 years ago what your normal desktop would do - one thing at a time

Won't be long before the ipad will run more than once process at a time

[MRSAMO]

Its a bigger iTouch.

Its not a computer if it can't perform the minimum behaviour of a usual desktop (ie. office, hardware and external hardware management, software installation etc).

I've been reading on it very closely but the deal breaker is :

- it still operates on an itune like environment where you have to download everything from itune stores

- its a mobile OS so everything is "low powered"

- no conferencing (camera)

- no infra-red

- only 720p video, MPEG-4 video is only up to 2.5 Mbps

- 10 hours is not bad, but no eco-saving mode to make it last a bit longer, most flights out of Australia to the other side of the world is longer than 10 hours

- at $500 USD (minimum as there are extras that you will probably need) it is pretty much a bigger and glorified iTouch for only 16GB

- no flash card reader (support for DSLRs?)

I'll look forward to the other makers (namely Acer) to bring out the Windows 7 counterpart, better battery, screen and features.

[lot843]

it just like a large I phone not interest at all

[R31Nismoid]

Please look up the definition of a "computer" before saying it is not one.

[MRSAMO]

Its not a computer if it can't perform the minimum behaviour of a usual desktop (ie. office, hardware and external hardware management, software installation etc).

Look back to 15 years ago what your normal desktop would do - one thing at a time

That was the year of Windows 95 and NT 3.5 which was developed even earlier. Then there was Redhat, all thrived in a multi-tasking environment.

[mad082]

where's the "i consider it to be a waste of money but will be massively popular because apple fans will buy ANYTHING new apple brings out because they are nerds and would would buy a steaming pile of dogshit if apple released it"

[DivHunter]

It's a crap UMPC with an even worse name. It makes me vomit on myself.

[jrm]

Wow .. so many Apple haters.

[cm712]

cant vote ? says i already have

all good just had 2 refresh ! darn computers

Edited February 1, 2010 by cm712

[DRD-00F]

Would you consider the Xbox 360 or the PS3 a computer? They run much the same hardware as computers...

I have to admit, I'm not really a fan of this either. The iPhone/iPad etc is a great step towards the future, but it's bound by the constraints and the money hungry hearts of the Apple corporation. They could be great little devices if they were just set free!

[funkymonkey]

agreed, you can't classify it a computer because you're not free to install whatever you want on it, can't download things onto it and most importantly can't upgrade it.

Even netbooks these days can have hard drives etc upgraded. Definitely the market filler between the iphone and a netbook, which I never thought existed, as the netbook fills the void between a phone and a laptop.

The iPad is the BMW X3 of the tech world... its made by a trendy company, but it serves no specific purpose, just does everything half arsedly (from a car buff point of view). The problem is that even though anyone who's tech savvy will find it restricting, pleb users will love it to bits, cos they won't know any better. It'll do "internets" well, so as long as it facebooks, emails, browses websites, its fine. It's mainstream and makes a great accessory/status symbol. Just like the soccer mums that buy X3's and think its the bees knees.

[R31Nismoid]

definition:computer

Technically, a computer is a programmable machine. This means it can execute a programmed list of instructions and respond to new instructions that it is given.

[DRD-00F]

My phone is a computer

so is my calculator

Hell, even my Wacom Intuos 4 Drawing Pen Tablet is a computer...

I think the aircon in my car is a computer too.

[mad082]

so my watch would also be a computer then.....

[MRSAMO]

LOL.

Can we begin with the iPad jokes?

Go :

[mad082]

bahahahahaha, love it.

does anyone think that the ipad is just the prototype iphone that they made before they shrank the technology down to the size of a phone? they probably had it sitting in some box somewhere and some work experience kid found it and jizzed his pants over it so they put it into production.

gotta love apple, finding (read creating) gaps in the market that didn't exist and then making products to fill them. i suppose you gotta give them credit for that. they found an extremely gullible demographic and have grabbed it with both hands and are pumping products out to sell to them as fast as they can.

[bozodos]

I still can't believe that teh Ipod is the runaway success of the mp3 player market tbqh, shows how many gullible hipsters there are in the world. Same goes for the "revolutionary" Iphone that needs to be hacked to have any real useability over any other smart phone.